PCW convenes 1st Gender and Development Resource Pool Assembly
Sixty-nine (69) PCW-certified Gender and Development(GAD) practitioners from all over the country participated in the 1stGAD Resource Pool Assembly convened by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on June 1-3, 2016 at Hotel H2O, Manila.
The participants are members of the now 89-person group of individual GAD and sectoral practitioners and trainers whom PCW constantly updates and taps to provide technical assistance (TA) on GAD mainstreaming. The GAD Resource Pool (GRPool) is one of the components of the National GAD Resource Program (NGRP), which is the over-all TA blueprint of the PCW created to respond to the increasing demand for TA on gender mainstreaming and GAD Planning and Budgeting for national government agencies and local government units nationwide.
In her opening remarks, PCW Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa thanked the GRPool members for taking on the challenge to be PCW’s partners for gender mainstreaming training. She noted that from July 2014 to December 2015, PCW received 2,676 requests for TA from government agencies and local government units; 47% of which were referred to GR Pool members.
Enjoy your work as GAD advocate
Recollecting her past few years as head of PCW, Chairperson Remedios Rikken shared that she is fulfilled and proud of the accomplishments of the Commission.
“One of those accomplishments that I am proud to be part of is the institutionalization of this pool of GAD practitioners who help PCW in capacitating government agencies and local government units. You have been our partners in ensuring that the government will carry on the GAD advocacy,” she said.
Chairperson Rikken called on the participants to stay strong and remain committed to the GAD advocacy despite the roadblocks that they encounter.
“Our work is challenging and at times frustrating; but never give up! While we should demand that our work as GAD advocates are not shortchanged and we must be recognized and compensated what is due to us as professionals, let us remember that the most important thing is to believe that what we are doing is for the good of everyone. Our fulfillment will rest not with how many training or technical assistance we have provided but in seeing how our work has impacted on the lives of people,” she stressed.
Retooling and Sharing
Keeping the GR Pool updated with national policies on GAD, PCW discussed recent GAD circulars and guidelines. The assembly also gave the GR Pool members the opportunity to network with members from other batches, and learn from each other as a community of practitioners through some members’ sharing of GAD-related researches and studies, andtheir experiences in providing GAD TA.
Application Process
The GR Pool members were selected based on the following: proven track record as GAD technical adviser or resource person; previous engagement with PCW; endorsement by other GAD experts or PCW officers; availability to attend leveling sessions and capacity development sessions for GR Pool members; and ability to respond to TA requests on GAD.
